Trapping: Is It Something That You Can Just Get Into?

TheBig1

New member
I don't know why but I'm sitting here thinking about giving trapping a try. I'm not looking to make money or kill everything, just simply have fun doing it.

To get started, other than some equipment, is trapping something that you can just up and get into? Watch a few videos, ask a ton of questions, learn from your mistakes, and yet have some successes which feed the drive?

What would be a list of gear that I should think about acquiring to get minimally stared on a budget? For bobcat, fox, coyotes, coob, opossum, etc...

Chad
 
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I just started this year, mainly to reduce the number of coons eating my corn and hopefully help our quail population. I bought 12 DP traps, read lots of post, watched some youtube videos and set them for the first time last weekend. I set two nights and got 4 coons, 2 opossums, and a skunk.
 
That's pretty good. I'm sure that you've got quite the population on the farm.

I understand that I have to read, study, and learn to read and listen to the sign. But what type of minimal equipment does one need to get started?
 
What are you targeting? Coons? The dog proofs are the ticket. Fox, coyote, cats, etc require different gear. There is a lot of work involved in starting up, degreasing, waxing, dyeing, stuff to buy. Sifter, anchors, lures, baits, small shovel, etc.
You can do it, starting small and build your way up.
 
Go on youtube and search "cooncreekoutdoors" he has a video on pretty much every thing trapping you could think of. If youre wanting to get into putting up the fur yourself as well its all on there! Thats how i learned/am learning.
 
Originally Posted By: WyYoteKillerJust FYI, I believe it's cheaper to get a cocaine habit than it is to trap. Go get 'em

My wife is going to love me getting into trapping then. Lol
 
My trapping career started out pretty cheap. I "borrowed" a 1 1/2 Victor longspring that was hanging in the neighbor's barn and set it on a trail coming out of a duckpond. Next morning I had a big mad 15 lb nutria. And I was hooked.

That was about 50 years ago but I'm still out there getting my feet wet every winter.
 
Lol That's a great story Beaver. My dad told me a similar story from when he was a boy.

He said that my grandfather gave him 2 longsprings and he went and caught some farm rats. He said that he was hooked immediately.
 
IMHO, stay away from bait unless it's super cold or you're wanting to catch lots of trash critters. Coyotes have a good nose, and You don't need lots of bait, Carman's K9 call, Ogorman's has several, and some K9 urine is all you need for yotes. Fox gland and urine will bring in yotes in your country as well. A dab the size of a pea is all you need.
Have some time to learn, coyotes are the varsity squad.
 
Thanks Killer, I understand. To be honest I knew that yotes were the varsity. I'm saving that for next year. Right now I want to play with coon, mink, and muskrat.
 
Originally Posted By: TheBig1Thanks Killer, I understand. To be honest I knew that yotes were the varsity. I'm saving that for next year. Right now I want to play with coon, mink, and muskrat.

I would start out buying some dog proofs. Coons are an easy target. It wont take much effort for success. Start up cost can hurt a little. But its worth the fun.
 
Originally Posted By: SP!DEROriginally Posted By: TheBig1Thanks Killer, I understand. To be honest I knew that yotes were the varsity. I'm saving that for next year. Right now I want to play with coon, mink, and muskrat.

I would start out buying some dog proofs. Coons are an easy target. It wont take much effort for success. Start up cost can hurt a little. But its worth the fun.

That's what I've done. Traded for a dozen DP's. But I have been playing with some hay sets on a farm. A buddy loaned me some prepped traps. Nothing in them yet but I know that there will be.
 
The catching part is the easiest part of it. Now once you have the critter you need to skin, flesh and dry it. More equipment stretcher boards, fleshing knife, fleshing beam. Or if you have a buyer who will take them whole you don't have to do all that.
 
I have to catch something first.

I do have a buyer who would take them whole but I definitely want to learn to do it myself.
 
This is my first year and one thing I have learned is there is as many gimmicks out there trying to trap YOU as you are trying to trap fur.

For lure a trapped mouse is just as deadly as the store bought stuff but its free.

I enjoy the DIY make do with what you have challenge of trapping. When guys that claim you NEED something from trap die/wax to a certain lure/bait realize that you are being fenced into their trap.....

I would suggest you use all the free info hard working guys have shared online to shorten your learning curve, thats the reason they shared the info they had to most likely earn the hard way.

Don't be scared to throw that hide over a beam and start pushin fat, thats how I learned a bunch.

I called fur buyers and asked questions, also the fur auction houses have info on their web pages.

I have picked up a couple things this year and hope to keep learning till I can't hold a knife.

Good luck

 
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